On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced his intention to speak with Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, marking a significant departure from traditional US diplomatic practices that could potentially disrupt relations with China. Speaking at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland before boarding Air Force One, Trump asserted his willingness to address the “Taiwan problem” by engaging with Lai. In response, Taiwan’s foreign ministry expressed Lai’s readiness to engage in dialogue with the US leader.
Historically, direct communication between US and Taiwanese presidents ceased after Washington formally recognized Beijing over Taipei in 1979. However, Trump previously broke this diplomatic norm as president-elect in 2016 when he communicated with then-Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, leading to a formal grievance from China. Despite this, Trump’s administration has maintained robust military support for Taiwan, a point of contention for China, which views the island as part of its territory.
Trump’s recent remarks are the second indication within a week of his intentions to converse with Lai, discounting earlier suspicions of a verbal mistake following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. While no specific date for the call has been planned, the White House and China’s embassy in Washington have yet to comment on the potential discussion. Throughout his presidency, Trump has authorized more arms sales to Taiwan than his predecessors, although he has characterized these transactions as useful negotiation levers.
Despite Trump’s public admiration for Xi, demonstrated during his recent visit to Beijing, his indecision on proceeding with a substantial $14 billion arms deal to Taiwan has added ambiguity to US-Taiwan relations. In an apparent move to influence Trump’s decision, China has reportedly delayed approving a visit by the Pentagon’s undersecretary of defense for policy, Elbridge Colby, until a clear stance on the weapons sale is made. Any direct engagement between US and Taiwanese leaders typically provokes Beijing, yet Trump’s mixed signals have left Taipei uncertain about the US’s position.
Taiwan’s President Lai, seen as a separatist by Beijing, has reiterated his commitment to maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, attributing regional tensions to China’s significant military buildup. Emphasizing Taiwan’s democratic values, Lai asserted that no nation should claim the right to annex the island. Under US law, Washington is obligated to supply Taiwan with defense capabilities, a stance supported by both sides of the US political spectrum. Taiwan remains a crucial partner for the US, ranking as the fourth-largest trading partner, largely due to its semiconductor exports essential for the global economy.